VirginiaÃ¢â?¬â?¢s richest

If you didn’t make Virginia Business Magazine’s Ã¢â?¬Ë?Virginia 100’ this year, don’t feel too bad. The cutoff point for the list of the State’s wealthiest was a net worth of $55 million. Topping the list was the Mars Family, owners of the privately held candy company, with a whopping $10 billion. Next, it was the real estate tycooning Winkler Family at $1.8 billion, and Shelia C. Johnson, founder of Black Entertainment Television, at $1.5 billion.

According to VBM, nine new members made the list, providing an interesting snapshot of the economy. Not surprisingly, a real estate developer made the list, one Daniel A. Hoffler, notorious for his $500 million town center development in Virginia Beach. A couple of government contractors made the list, Roger Mody and Rodney Hunt, who’ve made a fortune in the security industry thanks to the federal government’s massive spending since 9/11. With gas and oil prices so high these days, the coal producing Nicewonder family of Southwest Virginia also hit it big. Also not surprisingly, the five other spots went to CEO’s of public companies in Virginia with jaw dropping pay packages.

Closer to home, Betty Knight Scripps, the heir to her husband’s publishing empire, comes in at number 26 with a net worth of $300 million. James B. Murray Jr., founder of Court Square Ventures, a venture capital firm that invests communications, information technology and media companies, came in at number 48 with a net worth of $125 million. And finally, there’s Patricia Kluge, just making the list at number 81 with $65 million.

A few familiar names are gone from this year’s list, including Carl W. Smith, Edwin A. Joseph, Alan M. Voorhees and Woodrow McGlothlin, all of whom passed away last year.

Other notables include former governor Mark Warner, at number 38 with $200 million, and the Rev. Pat Robertson at number 40 with $190 million.